First things first. Booking. When making plans for accommodation, be sure the places you stay at are pet friendly. Sometimes hotels use this as a marketing tool so get concrete details about what pet friendly means to them before booking. My Pluto is an in the house at my side kind of gal. So I have to be sure that dogs are allowed inside the property where I will be. Some places provide kennels outside and prohibit dogs from entering. While this may be good for some travelers, its not a workable arrangement for Pluto and me. We like to stay cosy together.

OK. Packing. Two words… ID Tag. This is your most essential item. If for any reason you and your dog get separated… you know where Im going with this. Also be sure you bring your dogs most recent vaccination certificate and any other important medical documents. Hotels may need to view the papers before allowing your dog entry and it never hurts to have those papers on hand in case you should need a vet while away. If in an emergency you need to consult your own vet, the number is right at your fingertips.

Other essentials to bring include your dogs food and favorite gear. Dogs react to traveling in different ways and you dont want your pooch to get an upset stomach on the road…. for more than one reason if you know what I mean! Eating familiar food will help your pooch feel more at home, and you know the food will go down smoother. Also, whatever your dog needs you will want to have with you. This may include leashes, harnesses, collars, toys and possibly a dog bed.

Thats it. Were booked in, packed, and wild with excitement.. into the car and were off! But wait.. first lets talk car. What keeps you safe while driving? A seatbelt! Have you considered one for your dog? Without a secure restraint you dogs are as vulnerable as you would be without a seatbelt. They can even be thrown forward in a crash and cause damage to you. Is it worth the risk. Id say not.

Heres another safety issue. No matter how much she loves it, never let your dog ride with her head out the window. The danger definitely outweighs the thrills for your dog and shell forgive you I guarantee it. Also, never leave your dog in an unattended vehicle. Even over a short time, temperatures in vehicles can raise substantially, causing severe stress to your dog and sometimes even worse. When driving, take frequent breaks so your dog can get out and stretch those wild legs and relieve himself.

Heres the last thing I promise. ALWAYS pick up after your dog. Sure it can be tempting to let that slide a bit on holiday. But you know as well as I do that this is what gives dogs and their people a bad reputation. The less accidents left about, the more places our dogs will be welcomed. So please, to keep all of our records squeaky clean, just do it for the dogs!

br
br
pHaving trained many canines over her lifetime, Lorraine Gray has developed a keen insight into dog behaviour and is dedicated to promoting positive reinforcement training. She believes the profound bond shared between people and their dogs grows much stronger through successful training. Lorraine has lived in harmony with dogs all her life and is most passionate about creating a positive relationship between people and their dogs./ppLorraine Gray uses her expertise to assist customers of a target=_new href=http://waggle.com.au/ rel=nofollowWaggle Canine Adventure Gear/a to get the right equipment to help their dogs live a comfortable, safe and fun life. Waggle Canine Adventure Gear is an Australian company that supplies dog gear for all of lifes adventures./pbr
br